03-26-17 The Discipline of Vigilance part 2

“The Discipline of Vigilance” (Pt 2)   Romans 13:11-14
The Bible has a great deal to say, in both the Old and New Testaments, about being awake and alert. When we make it our habit to be awake and alert, we are practicing the spiritual discipline of vigilance. But why is vigilance so necessary to our spiritual health?
I First, we need to be vigilant because what Jesus expects us to do requires vigilance (13:11a).
II Second, not only do the demands of the Christian life call for vigilance, so also does the time in which we are living.
III Third, the n____________ of our s_________________ requires vigilance (13:11b).

A. The first way in which Paul is talking about salvation has to do with our own p___________ r_______________ with Jesus Christ.

1. The Bible sees salvation as an act that belongs to the p_______, the p_________, and the f__________.

a. Salvation past is ________________.
b. Salvation future is ________________.
c. Salvation present is _________________.

2. The present tense aspect of salvation is easy to demonstrate: If we think about a persistent sin we have struggled with throughout our Christian life, we should see ___________ in overcoming it.

B. Paul also uses “salvation” to refer to an event all Christians ought to look forward to: the P___________.

The return of Christ should spur us to be vigilant, but it seems the expectations of
Christians have cooled in the last 20 to 30 years. Scholars call this the problem
of the d____________ Parousia. But has the second coming been delayed?

1. First, there is ___ _______ _______ as a delayed Parousia.

2. Second, God has his ________ for why Jesus has not yet returned to this earth.

a. There is the _______ and _______ of God.
b. The length of time between the first and second comings of Jesus has been designed by God to give the church time to carry out a s________ m_________.

3. Third, it is not fair for believers to complain about a delay when it is our l_________ that made it necessary for God the church age last so long.
4. God has a s_______ p________ in the appearance of a delay.